


Rest Assured

by thisislegit



Category: One Piece
Genre: Comfort, Drabble, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Time Skip, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2019-01-05 11:38:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12189273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisislegit/pseuds/thisislegit
Summary: I wanna scream I love you from the top of my lungs, but I'm afraid that someone else will hear me.





	Rest Assured

Tucked away near the back of Merry, Sanji sat on the pillows they’d snatched with his head on Usopp’s shoulder. Usopp seemed not all there himself, with his arm around Sanji’s waist, and only looking away from the stars to bat off the occasional mosquito. Sanji wasn’t much better. Letting out a sigh through his nostrils, he tried to figure out why he was being so...off about this newfound thing between them. Honestly, when Sanji thought of being with someone romantically in what he’d assume was the long-term, he figured he wouldn’t be scared to yell it to the heavens, and let everyone know. He also always saw himself with a lady. Which may explain his hesitance on saying anything to anyone besides the hushed whispers he gave Usopp in passing.

The soft kiss against the top of his head did make him let out another small huff from his nose while he tried to keep from smiling and failed.

“Something on your mind?” Usopp asked, leaning his head atop Sanji’s.

Sanji opened his mouth only to close it and bite the inside of his bottom lip. How could he tell Usopp he didn’t want anyone to know they were together without sounding like an asshole? He knew the long answer to that question made his fears justified, but the short answer hit him harder with the phrase “Wow, you’re an asshole.” Usopp appeared to not be in any rush with knowing since all he did was stroke his fingers along Sanji’s side. So patient. Sanji realized it was a trait he definitely needed from a partner, especially for moments like this.

On the other hand, he should just rip off the bandaid and say what he needed to say. He’d had Usopp’s junk in his hand not two days ago for fuck’s sake. It wouldn’t be fair to be hiding around whenever Sanji thought Usopp would try to initiate some sort of intimate contact in front of their friends.

“I-,” He took a breath and sat up, jostling Usopp’s head from it’s position so they could look at each other. “I don’t want everyone to know we’re together right now.”

Usopp’s eyes widened slightly as his arm began to pull from Sanji’s waist. “O-oh.”

“It’s not that I don’t want anyone to know,” Sanji grabbed his hand before it could get any further away, “Not forever. Just for a little while. I’m-”

“You’re embarrassed. Of the idea of being with me.”

“No! Absolutely not!”

Usopp squinted at him, and tried briefly tugging his hand out of Sanji’s grasp to no avail. “What is it then?”

“I’m just not...” Sanji didn’t want to say he wasn’t comfortable with the idea of everyone knowing he was with Usopp. It’s just the idea of being with a man. Not that it was bad. Sanji got used to it very quickly, and he was comfortable with some aspects of it, other’s he was still learning. What the others might think of him though, he knew it was stupid to speculate on them reacting negatively, because that wouldn’t happen, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t nervous. That he wasn’t- “I’m a little scared. Of what they’ll say, or how they’ll react.”

“You know they care too much to say anything bad or cruel,” Usopp’s gaze softened as he stopped trying to tug his hand from Sanji’s.

“I know. Logically, I know they’ll be fine with it, but emotionally?”

“You’re a mess,” Usopp said giving Sanji’s hand a squeeze. “Okay, I get it now,” he paused before finishing with, “I’ll admit, I’m a little disappointed I won’t be able to kiss you when I want, but if you really need us to be a secret for a bit, I’m okay with it. When you’re ready to tell the others, I’ll be ready too.” 

Sanji nodded, and the two worked themselves in something close to their earlier position, but with their shoulders touching. Usopp understood. Good! Great even, but that earlier comment, his earlier reason for Sanji saying what he said still itched at him.

“I’m never embarrassed about you,” he said, looking away as his cheeks tinted pink. He could already feel Usopp’s eyes on him again.

Usopp scratched the back of his head with his free hand with a nervous smile on his face.“Ah, I know. That was just some of my own stuff coming out. Don’t worry about it.”

“I won’t, but I need you to know that I’m not embarrassed about you, or when I’m around you, or with you. You’re,” Sanji felt his heart beating faster in his chest as he turned to look at Usopp’s face. “You’re really great, and I like you. A lot.”

“I-I like you, too. A lot,” Usopp’s cheeks darkened with a blush as the smile on his face changed to a bashful grin.

Sanji nodded dumbly, swallowing the lump in his throat. Both turned to look back at the sky, with the waves brushing against the side of the boat, and the odd breaking of the water’s surface the only sounds between them. Sanji felt a weight lift from his shoulders now that the tension he was shoving down his own throat earlier was gone. He grazed his thumb along Usopp’s enjoying the closeness until they had to part ways for the night. Sanji was due to take up watch soon, and Usopp needed to go to bed so he wouldn’t wake up cranky tomorrow. Right now though, Sanji continued holding onto Usopp’s hand keeping the warm touch pressed against his waist.

**Author's Note:**

> havent written in like 4 months and this is the first thing i do when i come back even tho i have other things to finish  
> hgk


End file.
